"You know, I started to believe it might actually be a real honor," said Isaak, known for being wry and witty at his own expense. "But, first my brother warned me: 'Chris, are you sure this isn't a sting operation to get back all those overdue library books?' "

There actually has been a book written about Isaak's considerable accomplishments during a 26-year career in the entertainment industry.

They'll stick with a video version tonight, though, when the Stockton Arts Commission really does honor him with a career-achievement award at the University Plaza Waterfront Hotel.

Ten other Stocktonians will be recognized, including June Spencer, a singer and teacher for 62 years who receives the STAR Award (see box on Page B2).

Isaak's acceptance address - he once excelled in humorous interpretation on Stagg High School's speech-and-debate team - likely will approximate a stand-up comedy routine.

"Chris is a riot," said Nick Isaak, his older brother. "He's a one-man rodeo."

Seriously, though. ... "At this point, it's pretty real," said Isaak, the 19th person to receive a career honor in the awards' 31-year history. "You know, I've gotta say. I'm tickled pink to come back. To go back home and have somebody remember you and say something nice about you. It'll be a lot of fun."

It'll also be "my night to stay sitting down," he said. No musical performing. It'll be appropriately humbling, too.

"I tell people whenever you come back home, you go back immediately to the rank you had when you left," said Isaak, 55, a Stagg High and University of the Pacific graduate.

"Still, after 35 or 40 years, my mom (Dorothy) goes, 'Something smells funny in the garbage can. Here's a brush. Go clean it.' I'm going, 'Can we just buy a new one?' "

His brother was ready with an Isaak-ian quip.

"He was 'the kid,' " said Nick Isaak, 60, who'll join three other Stagg High grads to sing and play guitar as part of tonight's entertainment. "The child. The youngest. Way down at the bottom of the totem pole. When he comes back, he's still scrubbing floors with the rest of us."

"He's a hometown boy who made good," said Judy Caruso Williamson, the selection committee chairwoman who was a drama and dance teacher when Isaak was a cheerleader and student body president at Stagg. "He comes back frequently and always is proud to say he's from Stockton."

Isaak was the subject of similar praise during Chris Isaak Day at City Hall on Dec. 28, 1999, the afternoon before his first hometown concert.

He still "works" here, too.

"I was there a week ago trimming out the hedges," Isaak said of his parents' central Stockton home.

"Every time I go back, I try to do something to help. I dug through all the hedges and cleaned them up like nobody else could. Then I looked at my arms and it was like I'd been wrestling with a bobcat."

Inspired by Elvis Presley, Isaak left Stockton (by bus) for San Francisco in the early 1980s. He persistently parlayed his iconic rock-star looks into what has become a multifaceted career as an internationally known singer, songwriter, guitar player, recording artist, concert performer, bandleader (Silvertone), cartoonist, writer, TV and movie actor and TV host.

He's remained very close to his family and parents: Joe, 83, and Dorothy, 80.

"It doesn't surprise me, ya know?" said Dorothy Isaak, who shares a wicked sense of humor with her husband and three sons (Jeff's in the middle) and insists she was singing an Elvis Presley song on the way to delivering Chris.

"I think it's wonderful. I'm not surprised. At the same time, I'm pleasantly surprised. He didn't have anything given to him. He did it the hard way. This is way up there. We're just extremely proud of him."

Oh, and "I've got lots for him to do," said Dorothy Isaak who, at 50, attended Pacific for a year with Chris while earning a psychology degree.

"We've got a big yard with a lotta trees. A lotta leaves. I got behind and I'm still not out of the woods."

Actually, the leaves will have to wait.

Because Isaak performs Friday during the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, does a show at Harrah's Lake Tahoe on Saturday and then leaves for an Australian tour.

That's followed by appearances on Jay Leno's "Tonight Show" and NBC's "Today Show." He'll be promoting "Beyond the Sun," his 17th album which is being released Oct. 18. Isaak also taped a week's worth of film introductions for the Turner Classic Movies channel. They'll be broadcast in October.

The new album, recorded at historic Sun Studio in Memphis, Tenn., includes Isaak's versions of vintage rock 'n' roll, country and rockabilly songs he grew up listening to in Stockton.

All of which is a partial testament to what he's accomplished. With talent, perseverance, humor, hard work and frugality.

Like his older brothers and friends, mom helps keep the Valley Boy humble.

If she "ever catches me wasting money, she goes, 'rock star,' " Isaak said from his home in San Francisco's Sunset District. "I'll look in the cupboard and go, 'Mom, these cans expired in 1973.' She goes, 'It's in a can. It's OK.' I say, 'I'm throwing it out.' Under her breath, she's going, 'rock star.' "

He stays well-grounded by recalling his many Stockton-style jobs, such as working on a San Joaquin County hay farm: "If they thought you did a good job of throwing hay, they wanted you back. I'm from Stockton. If you wanna keep a job, you better show up on time and be ready."

Born in Stockton on June 26, 1956 - St. Joseph's Medical Center was simply a hospital then - his hometown never is far from Isaak's mind.

"Chris Isaak Day," a segment on Showtime's "Chris Isaak Show" series, was a hysterically funny spoof of an honorary homecoming.

He likes telling about having his tour bus detour off the freeway to Casa Flores, a downtown Stockton restaurant. His guys thought it was the "best Mexican food they'd ever had."

He could go on. ...

"It's my hometown," Isaak said. "I've always loved it and I do love it. People are always talking about the bad stuff. Sure, people are out of work, housing is tough and there's some crime. But the people are great. It's a beautiful city. The weather is nice.

"I like it in the summer time. Some people say it's too hot. I love the heat. We used to go out to Victory Park at night. You could hear the crickets and it was so warm. Then we'd go out on the river. I loved that."

He was kind enough to provide one helpful hint for tonight's proceedings: "People have been warned. 'Get to the potato bar before the Isaaks.' The Isaaks are famous eaters."